WS - Chapter 55
Chapter 55
The words that came out were all her own thoughts, but the inexplicably softened voice felt alien even to Yu Nianbing herself.
It was probably just fatigue... Yu Nianbing swiftly pulled her hand back, clenched the leaf in her hand, and stepped back two paces.
Before Yu Nianbing could sort out her stirring emotions, Song Shiyue, whose face had just been wiped, turned her head and smiled back.
That smile—clean, transparent, natural, friendly, completely carefree—showed not a trace of the unease Yu Nianbing was now feeling.
This person...
No, I'm not angry. Why would I be angry...
Yu Nianbing suppressed the sudden tightness in her chest, emptied her mind, and tossed out the rush of complex thoughts that followed.
The people busy around them spreading leaves over the beef and tying vines paid little attention to this little interlude between Yu Nianbing and Song Shiyue. Even Zhuang Jiachuan, who had been straining to keep his ears and eyes sharp, raised his head only after hearing the sound and had already missed that small gesture of Yu Nianbing wiping Song Shiyue's face with a leaf. Having seen less, it naturally became even harder to guess why Yu Nianbing's face had now turned cold.
Although she was indeed different from the rumored cold and aloof persona, she was still hard to handle. Zhuang Jiachuan recalled the team-plan he had discussed with the production team earlier and suddenly wasn't sure whether the production team's current inability to smoothly proceed with the segment was a bad thing or a good thing.
But unlike Zhuang Jiachuan, the viewers on StarNet missed nothing.
Though there were no close-ups, StarNet's intelligent camera angles cut perfectly, and everything that should be seen was seen.
"Honestly, about that time over half a year ago when Song Shiyue confessed to Yu Nianbing, did Yu Nianbing actually accept?"
"As a Little Ice Bucket, I hope the friend ahead watches what they say and do, or else our friendship will reach its end."
"Probably didn't accept. Otherwise, how could that trending topic have faded in just two or three days? And there hasn't been any news in over half a year. Wasn't there a singer, Jin something, who also confessed to Yu Nianbing and trended for two days?"
"Jin Youren was on trending for fifty hours. Little Ice Block was in the Yu Xian crew before; reporters often staked out outside. Apart from that confession, there has been no further sign of Song Shiyue. —From a Little Ice Bucket who wants sugar but has to be reasonable."
"Hahaha, in this day and age, do solo stans want sugar too?"
"Speaking of sugar, this wilderness survival show really is too rough. The sugar is sweet, but you either have to eat it next to a dead snake or next to a dead cow..."
"Laughing so hard I'm dying, you CP fans really work hard for your sugar."
"Come to think of it, if you want sugar, you're not a solo stan, right? There's an infiltrator in the Little Ice Bucket ranks ahead."
"I heard that when Yu Nianbing is on set, she leaves as soon as she finishes filming her scenes. Unless the director keeps her, she almost never hangs out with other artists. Is that true? Manually @Little Ice Buckets here."
"..."
"Look at my friendly face, I want to know too."
"Yeah, no malice, just curious. Are the Little Ice Buckets still around?"
"Really. What, can't they have some personal space? —From a grinding-their-teeth Little Ice Bucket."
"It looks like Yu Nianbing and Song Shiyue are getting along really well right now. Is this sugar real?"
"Whoa, is this a response that's half a year late?"
"Are there any Little Moons here? Does Song Shiyue have a partner now?"
"...A Little Moon who just joined a day ago doesn't know anything."
"Who could know? The name Little Moon was only established three days ago..."
"Hahaha, is my Sister Song really that shabby? Add me to the Little Moons~"
"The mountain lord has the skills, but are all her underlings new recruits?"
"I'm dying laughing, mountain lord. Is this why Dog is so determined to be a lick dog?"
"My Little Ice Block may have been a bit of a loner on previous sets, but after joining this variety show, she gets along well with everyone, not just Song Shiyue. Just now, wasn't it just helping a companion wipe off some blood on their face? Little Ice Block would do that for anyone. I hope everyone stays rational and doesn't casually ship a CP. —From a staunch solo stan Little Ice Bucket."
"Quick! Cut to Zhuang Jiachuan!"
"Cut cut cut!"
"Hahaha, that staunch solo stan Little Ice Bucket ahead, are you okay?"
"..."
Just as the viewers on StarNet couldn't stop their gossiping, a small situation also occurred by the thermal storage box.
"Sorry, sorry!" Guan Yongyi apologized repeatedly, instinctively raising his hand to wipe Zhuang Jiachuan, but then he looked at his own two hands covered in beef blood and awkwardly lowered them again.
"..." Zhuang Jiachuan wanted to say it was nothing, but the two drops of blood Guan Yongyi had splattered onto his philtrum were about to drip, which was truly unbearable.
He couldn't even speak, nor did he dare to make the slightest shake of his head. He could only stand stiff as a wooden post.
Of the people present, aside from Yu Nianbing, and Ning Chuyang who was standing far away not daring to approach—still nauseated by the midday bugs and unable to overcome the gore—the other four who had been tying up the beef had blood not only on their hands but also on their sleeves, and no one had a free hand.
Zhuang Jiachuan's pleading gaze turned toward Yu Nianbing, who was looking down and rummaging through her bag, and a tiny flutter of excitement rose in his heart.
If Yu Nianbing helped him wipe it, with the spot so close to the lips, it would look quite ambiguous. Although it wouldn't be real, a wave of buzz would definitely follow. Since they couldn't split into groups, this was a coincidental opportunity. He hoped his company would have some brains and seize the chance to market it, so as not to waste this stroke of luck.
From the moment Guan Yongyi had cried out, Yu Nianbing had noticed the situation and had already started groping for a leaf.
Now that she had a leaf, Yu Nianbing did not hesitate. She walked over to Zhuang Jiachuan and raised her hand.
Zhuang Jiachuan cooperatively closed his eyes.
But...
His philtrum remained cool with a breeze, but a weight settled on the back of the hand that was gripping a beef leg.
"Quick, wipe it off. It won't be good if it gets in your mouth later." Yu Nianbing's voice was steady and cool, just as always.
Zhuang Jiachuan quickly opened his eyes and looked down at the large leaf pasted onto the back of his hand. He suddenly felt like a mute being force-fed goldthread.
Was it not exactly a case of being unable to speak of the bitterness?
Fortunately, Zhuang Jiachuan hadn't seen how cautiously Yu Nianbing had wiped Song Shiyue's face earlier, or else what he was being fed might not be goldthread, but denatonium benzoate. (Denatonium benzoate is the bitterest substance in the world; goldthread ranks fifth.)
Compared to Zhuang Jiachuan's embarrassment over his mistaken expectations, the viewers on StarNet were clearly much happier, beating drums and gongs to summon that staunch solo stan Little Ice Bucket from earlier to come out and play—but that's another story.
Back at the thermal storage box, the six portions of beef had been roughly packed up. The four beef legs were wrapped decently, but the two pieces from the body were irregular in shape and large, so they were wrapped somewhat crudely. The leaves only barely covered the cuts, preventing the blood from leaking out along the way.
After all the beef had been taken out and wrapped, Song Shiyue looked at the layer of beef blood remaining in the box and felt a bit reluctant.
"The beef blood has soaked in the beef, and now there's hair and dust in it. We can't eat it anymore." Zhuang Jiachuan, having spent two days with Song Shiyue on the spaceship, had some understanding of her preferences. Seeing her regretful expression, he naturally spoke up to gently dissuade her.
Yu Nianbing, who was looking down and trying to lift a beef leg, raised her head and met Song Shiyue's gaze.
Hesitant, regretful, undecided.
"Teacher Zhuang is right." Yu Nianbing hardened her heart and spoke. In fact, what Zhuang Jiachuan said really wasn't wrong.
"Mm..." Song Shiyue also knew the beef blood wasn't clean. Although filtering could solve some problems, with a whole cow, they really didn't need this mouthful, and it wasn't worth the risk.
But, it truly was a pity.
In the apocalypse, the blood of edible mutated animals was a good thing—it could nourish the body, stave off hunger, and provided plenty of calories.
Once a kill was successful and conditions allowed, they would bleed the prey on the spot while it was still freshly dead. If conditions were even better, they'd set up a pot right then and there, cook the easily perishable blood and entrails together, and eat immediately. Such a scene bore a certain resemblance to the pig-slaughter feasts in rural households before the apocalypse.
But here, those experiences were ultimately of no use.
Song Shiyue looked at the shallow layer of thick, already beginning to congeal beef blood in the box and let out a soft sigh. Whether this sigh was for the past or the present, even she probably couldn't say.
That sigh was so light that it was almost inaudible amid the discussion of whether to carry the beef on their backs, hug it, or lift it.
Yet that sigh was also so heavy that it was like a plump stone, thudding down onto Yu Nianbing's heart.
The resolve to harden her heart, the determination to act as before—in an instant, it all counted for nothing.
This person...
It's this person again...
Yu Nianbing set down the beef leg in her hands and looked up at Song Shiyue, who stood by the thermal storage box with a trace of melancholy on her face.
Really... so hateful...
From the thermal storage box to where Ning Chuyang was waiting was only about a dozen steps away, well within sight.
Yu Nianbing quickly walked over and back. Before she had even steadied herself by the thermal storage box, she held out a sealed bag: "Your bag."
But Song Shiyue looked utterly bewildered, and as if reflexively catching a punchline, she replied, "No, it's your bag."
"..." Yu Nianbing was momentarily stunned by this variant of a chewing gum ad, and then burst out laughing in exasperation. "It's Ning Chuyang's bag. We probably shouldn't eat this beef blood, but feeding it to Dog should be fine. What do you think? Should we take it?"
"Oh right, Dog shouldn't mind." Song Shiyue had a sudden flash of insight and grabbed Dog, who was still circling around her and had yet to get dizzy despite spinning for so long.
Oh, that damn familiar feeling of being seized by the scruff of fate—Dog obediently tucked his four legs in and was lifted without any resistance, just like a stuffed toy.
"Eat?" Song Shiyue lifted Dog over the thermal storage box.
Thank you, Dog, for saving a staunch solo stan Little Ice Bucket this time.
"Hahaha, save the dog."
"Dog's face is all: ???"
"Mama, I'm really looking forward to the edited version tonight. Just adding subtitles for Dog feels like it'll exhaust three editors to death."
"Why? No need for three editors, just one part-timer can type '???' and '...', hahaha."
"Guess what Song Shiyue will say? A bark means it wants to eat, silence means it doesn't?"
"Hahaha, impossible. If it's Song Shiyue, she'll definitely say: a bark means it wants to eat now, no bark means it'll eat later."
"Friend ahead, who gave you such confidence? Obviously Song Shiyue would say: a bark means it wants to eat inside the thermal storage box, no bark means it wants to eat inside the thermal storage box with the lid on."
"Hahaha, can't stop laughing, such a pitiful dog..."
"So it's already destined to become thermal storage box fresh ingredients?"
"First raise it with beef blood, then preserve it fresh for later eating—is that Dog?"
"Save the kid, this show is just too scheming, can't handle it anymore, hahaha."
"Lick dog, lick dog, after licking the beef blood, its life is gone..."
By the thermal storage box, seeing that Song Shiyue was about to grab Dog and might put it right in to let it lick the blood, Yu Nianbing hastily spoke to stop her: "For safety's sake, let's take the beef blood and cook it at camp before feeding it."
"Are you worried that eating raw blood will trigger its wild nature?" Song Shiyue glanced at Dog, who was as docile as a stuffed toy, its eyes flashing with cuteness, and nodded. "That makes sense too."
"No... I meant hygiene." Yu Nianbing couldn't help but rub her forehead.
This fellow really had her own unique standpoint when considering problems.
Anyway, not wasting was best. Song Shiyue naturally followed Yu Nianbing's suggestion, released the clueless Dog—who had no idea it had just escaped a calamity—took the sealed bag, and poured every last drop of beef blood from the box into it.
Before they set off, Captain Yang came over to the thermal storage box as if casually to take a look.
The entire box was empty; not even a few drops of blood remained. This truly gave Captain Yang a new understanding of these people's will to survive.
Though it was a misunderstanding, Captain Yang began to realize that their resistance toward him was probably quite serious.
Truly, one wrong step led to another. As they set out again, Captain Yang was as silent as before, but his mind was churning relentlessly.
Just as Yu Nianbing had guessed, with Song Shiyue's insistence, Song Shiyue took the cow's head and front half. Among the remaining people, the strongest, Guan Yongyi, took the back half, while the others each took a leg. The two women took the leaner front legs; though not light, they were still much easier than the other parts.
Moreover, whether or not Song Shiyue did it on purpose, the hind legs were cut normally, but for the front legs, it felt like a large portion of the meat was left attached to the front half and not cut off.
Yu Nianbing tested it herself: her front leg probably didn't even weigh ten jin.
And after Song Shiyue had securely tied it to the pack on her back, the shoulder straps took the weight, so she felt almost no burden at all.
As for burden... Yu Nianbing glanced at the half a cow Song Shiyue had hoisted onto her shoulder, and an unfamiliar feeling rose in her heart. To call it mixed emotions would be an understatement.
At the thermal storage box, in the battle of words, Captain Yang was utterly defeated. The production team sent no one to support him and even handed the other side a blade. This made Captain Yang begin to sense that Director Zhang perhaps no longer wished to support him.
How could this be? Hadn't he been working so hard for the production team's plan?
While the group was dividing the beef, Captain Yang deliberately walked toward the production team and loitered on the outskirts, but there were no hints of a secret meet-up.
At this point, Captain Yang started to hesitate and thought about trying a softer approach.
"In the wilderness, preserving physical strength is very important. Don't do things beyond your capacity. I'll help you carry part of this cow." Captain Yang's tone was much better than before, but it still carried his usual lecturing manner.
Song Shiyue, who had been stopped, paused for a moment but firmly shook her head.
Just as Captain Yang was about to persuade her further, he heard Song Shiyue say with a wary face: "No. If you put in effort, you'll want a share of the cow. There are too many monks and too little porridge. Captain Yang, you'd better stick with the production team's side."
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